Newswise — The George Olmsted Jr., Class of 1924, Prize for Excellence in Secondary School Teaching was established in 1984 with an endowment from the estates of George Olmsted Jr. and his wife, Frances, who wanted to recognize secondary teaching excellence. A committee of faculty, staff, and students selects the winners; David P. Richardson, professor of chemistry, chairs the committee. Olmsted prize recipients are honored during the Williams Commencement ceremonies and receive $3,000. An additional $2,500 goes to his or her school. Olmsted, a lifelong proponent of exemplary teaching, was the president and chairman of the board of the S. D. Warren Paper Co.
The Olmsted Prizes received national attention in 2005 when Thomas L. Friedman, op-ed columnist for The New York Times, highlighted the program and the prize recipients in his column. "The best way to ensure that we have teachers who inspire their students is if we recognize and reward those who clearly have done so," he wrote.
High school teachers are nominated each year for the awards by members of the senior class. This year the recipients are Bradley E. Conant, teacher of history at Dirigo High School in Dixfield, Maine; Karen S. Franke, teacher of science at Kennett High School in North Conway, N.H.; Jeffrey C. Markham, teacher of English at New Trier High School in Winnetka, Ill.; and Tracey M. Wilson, teacher of history at Conard High School in West Hartford, Conn.
Bradley E. Conant, Dirigo High School in Dixfield, Maine
When bewilderment following the 9/11 tragedy collided with the opening of Dirigo High School, Bradley Conant brought clarity to his freshmen seminar students by skipping ahead in the lesson plan to offer a sensitive and sympathetic account of Islam, its people, and history. "Mr. Conant's class played a huge role in shaping our understanding of a world that had changed forever," said Williams senior Amy McLeod. "It gave me a great respect for him that has only continued to grow."
Discerning flexibility is a hallmark of Conant's teaching. "Never content with the status quo, Brad continually works to meet the needs of his students in the most appropriate ways for them," said colleague Karen Phair. "To Brad, teaching isn't a job, it's a lifestyle." Michael Poulin, principal of Dirigo, commended Conant for his "student-centered approach."
After careers in business, construction, logging, and his own handyman company, Conant returned to college for a B.S. in education. "Teaching, I found out, feeds most of my passions," he said. He began teaching business and technology at Dirigo in 1992. His current teaching load includes world history, U.S. history, debate, psychology, and philosophy. Colleagues and students alike affirm the astounding breadth of his expertise.
Conant's versatility, they said, extends to his involvement in curriculum development and revision, the school's Leadership Team, and the accreditation committee, which he chaired. "Brad just quietly makes things happen," Phair said.
Furthermore, they added, Conant consistently offers independent courses for students who want to further their explorations in his fields, and advises several student activities. Notably, he founded and leads the speech and debate team, which places regularly in competitions across the state. Said McLeod, "For me, and for dozens of debaters before and since, the team has been like a second family." McLeod, who described herself as shy in middle school, "It provides a safe environment for challenging ourselves and pushing beyond our perceived limits."
Conant spends time in conversation with many in the school community. "When I am stumped about a problem or concern at school, I usually turn first to Brad for a solution," Phair said. "I trust his judgment, instincts and wisdom more than he knows." McLeod recalled the hours that Conant spent guiding her through the college application process. She called him the most accessible teacher she has ever met.
This sincere generosity is central to Conant's philosophy. "I realize that additional academic achievement is very helpful to my professional growth, but in the end, the simple things like time, effort, and individual attention are what make me the teacher that I am," he said.
Karen S. Franke, Kennett High School in North Conway, N.H.
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Franke has a great compliment in Williams senior Liz Kantack. "It is because of Mrs. Franke that I want to pursue a career in education in the future," Kantack said. "I hope that someday I can have as much of an impact on my students as she has had on hers."
Speaking of Franke's "tremendous support and faith," Kantack describes how her junior-year honors chemistry class turned from a bane to a joy through Franke's patient, after-class tutelage. "Mrs. Franke made it impossible to not enjoy chemistry. She taught us with an amount of energy that I had never before or since seen from a teacher."
Franke, who is science department chair, is invigorated when students or new teachers make connections and gain skills. "My passions," she said, "are helping students discover the thrill of working in the world of science through experiential learning and helping teachers improve their skills in teaching science."
For Franke, a comfortable and respectful classroom environment is paramount, in order to "create an atmosphere that allows for maximum growth." According to other students and colleagues, Franke more than achieves such a climate. "Karen has a rare knack of challenging students to solve problems and stretch themselves beyond available data," said principal John Loynd, noting Franke's inquiry-based model for lab classes. He pointed to her emphasis on real-world engagement, such as conducting an energy audit of the former school facility and calculating personal carbon footprints.
Loynd also commended Franke, who joined Kennett High School in 1984, for being "the most flexible member of the science department during my early years at Kennett," during which Franke instructed in both physical sciences and biology. When the need later arose, she became certified in chemistry. "Karen continues to improve her content knowledge and refine her teaching skills," Loynd said.
"In addition to her fluency with classroom setting and the hours or preparation that she invests," he commented, "she distinguishes herself by the genuine care she has for her students. Every year she ranks in the top 2 percent of Kennett faculty for the survey item: The teacher cares about me as a person."
Kantack voiced strong agreement: "As she does with all her students, Mrs. Franke knew exactly what you did outside of the classroom, and did her best to keep tabs on how your year was progressing in life beyond chemistry."
Franke teaches in the Conway School District's Adult High School Diploma Program and serves on the school committee. She has been named three times in the annual "Who's Who Among America's Teachers." She received her B.A. from the University of New Hampshire and her M.Ed. from Plymouth (N.H.) State College.
Jeffrey C. Markham, New Trier High School in Winnetka, Ill.
Quoting Albert Einstein, "Teaching should be such that what is offered is perceived as a valuable gift and not as a hard duty," Williams senior Harris Paseltiner said the words found expression in an AP Great Books class taught by Jeffrey C. Markham. "He taught me what it felt like to learn without being told," Paseltiner said. "He inspired in me, and in all those around him, a wonder at encountering the world."
Markham's Great Books class would alternate between Interpretive Days -- when every comment needed rigorous textual backing -- and Evaluative Days -- when students answered questions with impressions from their lives. "The lessons hit closer to home when we were talking about ourselves," Paseltiner said. "I have never seen such a ubiquitously active, energized, equal group of participants as in Mr. Markham's class." Markham also uses innovative classroom rules to cultivate challenging but constructive discourse. Students who wish to argue directly against a comment in class, for example, raise their hands with a "bullhorn" signal and receive priority in discussions, which are often student-led. Moreover, he only assigns grades at the end of the semester, opting for written comments and face-to-face meetings to evaluate assignments, a degree of personal attention that Paseltiner compares to the signature Williams tutorial.
"Markham's love of learning," Paseltiner said, "has become a hallmark of his 15-year career at New Trier."
"The whole process of learning, and teaching and learning more, makes me feel so alive," Markham said. His enthusiasm is apparent to his colleagues. "His curiosity, his quick wit, and his abiding belief in the goodness of us all mark him as one of the outstanding members of our faculty who find new ways each year to contribute to our growth as a school," said John Cadwell, New Trier's English department chair.
In addition to work on all-school committees and the Faculty Senate, Markham is involved in the Integrated Global Study School, a New Trier school-within-a-school. Through this initiative, small groups of students will use an integrated approach to the study of English, history, and science through the lens of the global community. "Jeff has been a real leader in this initiative and will be one of the teachers next fall," said Principal Timothy Dohrer. "Clearly, Jeff continues to challenge himself and look for new opportunities for growth."
For Paseltiner, Markham's continual pursuit of such opportunities has left indelible marks. Alluding to his final course presentation on the meaning of life, Paseltiner said: "Because I had discovered my very own meaning, I was able to carry it beyond the classroom, and here to Williams College. One thing is clear: Mr. Markham's lessons are timeless."
Markham received his B.A. from Hampshire College and his M.A. in Teaching/English from the University of Chicago.
Tracey M. Wilson, Conard High School in West Hartford, Conn.
"Every day in the classroom, Tracey does something that makes someone learn a piece of history that directly relates to their own lives," said Thomas Moore, principal of Conard High School. "She is preserving our legacy as Americans for all students that walk through her doors. She is, truly, an American hero."
That may be high praise for Dr. Tracey Wilson, but Williams senior Heather Bemis would say that all of this commendation is warranted. Calling herself "somewhat of a spectator" for the first half of high school, Bemis enrolled in Bradbury's A.P. U.S. History course and soon learned how to articulate her views in class. "Dr. Wilson encouraged me to take an active role in the classroom, and eventually speaking out and sharing my opinions became a habit instead of a chore." Wilson seeks first to develop relationships with her students, then to foster interactions between her students and the history they study. Often, she provides students with primary sources, framing class discussion around questions such as, "Did Theodore Roosevelt commit war crimes in the Filipino War?" or, "If you lived in Little Rock in 1957, would you have integrated Central High?"
Furthermore, Wilson examines her own teaching style with consistent, constructive questioning. "I constantly rethink what I teach – how best to connect with their heads as well as their hearts? What will work with this group of students? And ultimately, how can we have fun learning?" she said. "Every year, I look at these questions differently and the responses from my students push me to think about issues in different ways."
One notable product of this rigor was Wilson's work to close the U.S. history achievement gap between white and African-American students at her school. Using culturally relevant content, Wilson and a co-teacher saw the average grade in that class go up by a full letter grade, with many signing up to take A.P. U.S. History afterwards. "Tracey doesn't just talk about closing the achievement gap, she passionately tries to build bridges every day in her classroom," said Principal Thomas Moore.
Over her 28 years at Conard, Wilson has worked on curricular development with the College Board and the Connecticut Humanities Council. She was named the 2008 Gilder Lehrman Connecticut State History Teacher of the Year. She serves as town historian and integrates her work there into a popular local history course at the school.
Moore recounts his surprise, during his first year as a teacher, when Wilson would ask about European history to contextualize her lessons. "I was stunned that someone with her experience would ask me such questions, but that was the lesson she was also teaching me: don't be afraid to seek out information, and ideas that will make your class better," he said. "In short, Dr. Wilson will do whatever it takes to make our kids love history."
She received her B.A. from Trinity College and her Ph.D. in history from Brown University.
Founded in 1793, Williams College is the second oldest institution of higher learning in Massachusetts. The college's 2,000 students are taught by a faculty noted for the quality of their teaching and research, and the achievement of academic goals includes active participation of students with faculty in their research. Students' educational experience is enriched by the residential campus environment in Williamstown, Mass., which provides a host of opportunities for interaction with one another and with faculty beyond the classroom. Admission decisions are made regardless of a student's financial ability, and the college provides grants and other assistance to meet the demonstrated needs of all who are admitted. To visit the college on the Internet:www.williams.edu
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